Wine is likely coming to PA grocery stores; Will City Council vote on the soda tax today?; Chuck Klosterman on Philly

Newsletter for Wednesday, Jun 08 2016

INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY

PA POLITICIANS ARE ABOUT TO MODERNIZE OUR LIQUOR LAWS

Hey Pennsylvania, it could suck less to buy booze pretty soon. Our lawmakers compromised (gasp!) and the PA House held a surprise vote yesterday to approve bipartisan legislation that modernizes the liquor system. What’s that mean? Wine can be sold in grocery stores, and state stores can sell liquor on Sundays and holidays. Lawmakers in the House say Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, may sign the legislation into law; he’s said he’ll review it. This is what you’ll be able to do and what you still won’t be able to do now that Pennsylvania is on the verge of joining the 20th century when it comes to liquor laws.

A 1.5 CENT SODA TAX COULD BE ON ITS WAY; HOW WILL IT AFFECT NEIGHBORHOOD STORES?

City Council’s Committee of the Whole could vote to support a 1.5 cent soda tax as early as today (not the 3-cent tax originally proposed). Councilwoman Cindy Bass said yesterday Mayor Jim Kenney had the necessary nine votes from 17 Council members and added, “It looks like soda is the option people seem most comfortable with.”

The garden outside the South Philadelphia Older Adult Center is a great part of East Passyunk, and it needs funding help. Tickets include beer from Victory, PBC and Sixpoint, grilled street food by the POPE and dessert from Essen Bakery.

CHECKING PAT TOOMEY’S BEEF WITH OBAMA’S SUPREME COURT PICK

U.S. Senator Pat Toomey has doubts about Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland — particularly regarding a ruling that set free prisoners from Guantánamo Bay. Garland “authored an opinion that resulted in the release of 17 Guantanamo Bay prisoners who were part of a group of violent Islamist extremists the State Department had designated as terrorists,” Republican Toomey wrote in an April op-ed for PennLive titled, “Here’s why I’m opposing Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court nomination.” But look closely: Toomey’s statement combines two court rulings, Garland’s and a later decision.